Adjustable garment closure



June 8, 1965 H. JACOBSON 3,187,346

ADJUSTABLE 4 GARMENT CLOSURE Filed July 10. 1961 .2 Sheets-Sheet l N VENTOR.

Harry acobson" BY l TTORNEY June 8, 1965 H. JACOBSON ADJUSTABLE GARMENTCLOSURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 10. 1961 Fig. 15

jNVENTOR acabsan ATTORNEY United States Patent r 3,187,346 ADJUSTABLEGARMENT CLOSURE Harry Jacobson, 420 Rich Ave, Mount Vernon, NX. FiledJuly 10, 1961, Ser. No. 123,049

I 11 Claims. (Cl. 2-234) This invention relates to size-adjustablegarment closures and especially to that type having overlapping flapssecurable together by means of separable fasteninggelements, suchclosures being found at the fly of trousers or the like and the sides ofskirts or other garments having a band such as a waistband encompassinga part of the body. 1

In what follows, for purposes of brevity and clarity, the invention hasbeen describedand illustrated as applied to the fly of mens trousers orthe like including shorts and slacks. Attempts have been madeheretofore, by means other than elastic belts or bands, to make itpossible to adjust the effective size of the waistbands of such garmentsas by contraction. tempted, for example, by moving one flap of the flyrelatively to the other, thereby varying the amount of the overlap ofthe flaps. Such adjustment necessitates the omission of'fastening 'meansalong the major part of the length of the flaps, or the use of multiplesets of fastening elements for securing the fly flaps together in thenormal and in the adjusted positions thereof, or the use of undulylengthened button holes or other unsatisfactory devices. Whileinterlocking slide operated fasteners have been used at the fly and theadjustment accomplished while the fastener remains closed, such prioradjustment has not only beenlimited to theeffective width of thefastener tapes between the lines of stitching securing them to therespective fiy flaps,

but the fastener could not be made to lie flat against the body.

The present invention therefore contemplates the provision of simple,inexpensive but effective means for attaining the size-adjustment of thecircumferential periphery of the closure band through a wide range ofexpansion and contraction in connection with any well known type offastener means for the overlapping flaps of the closure whilemaintaining the proper fit of the closure band and flaps and adjacentgarment parts to the body, free of wrinkles, bulges, uncontrolledcreases or unsightly distortion.

The invention further contemplates the provision of suitable folds,turns or bends and stitching either in the covered closure flap'itselfor in the tape for the slide operated fastener elements on such flap,where such tape is employed in the fastening means for the flaps, or in'both the covered flap and the tape, to compel planar bodily movementonly of the fastening means either from a normal to a contractedposition or to an expanded position, thereby providing automatically a180 forwardly directed traveling .U turn, bend or fold in the marginalportion of the covered flap, doubling the movable portion of the fabricof the flap on to the relatively fixed portion of the covered flap andattaining a range of ad' justment approximately twice the width of theturned movable marginal portion whileboth flaps of the closure remainlocked together. i

The invention further contemplates the provision of an adjustableclosurejstructure wherein the fastening means such as the fastenerslideror fly buttons are at the front part of the covered flap and face thefront in operation though attached at the rear, and thereby are asreadily accessible for opening purposes as are conventional closures ofthe fly type, and wherein the fastening means on the waistband of thecovered flap for holdingthe end of the Waistband of the covering flapThis has been.at-'

3,182,346 Patented June 8, 19:65

elements of the closurein the proper forwardly facing position, butwhich predisposes the movable portion of the covered flap to fold orturn forwardlyautomatically on the movement of the covering flap towardthe maximum folded or extreme contracted position of the closure,whereby a pull on the movable marginal portion of the covered flapexerted thereon by movement of the covering flap, folds the waistband,and a push on said marginal portion on movement of the covering flap inthe opposite direction, unfolds the waistband.

The invention further contemplates the arrangement of the fasteningelements on the peripheral part of the covered flap as closely aspossible to the free edge of said flapor even to overhang said edge sothat little or no flap material projects beyond such elements, wherebysubstantially facilitated. 1

The various objects of the invention will be clear from the descriptionwhich follows and from thedrawings, in which FIG.'1 is a fragmentaryfront elevational view of part of the fly of a pair of trousers to whichthe invention has been applied, the flaps being close to the extremeunfolded position thereof, the covering flap being turned part way downto expose the covered flap, and the maximum or extreme folded positionof the closure being shown by the dash-dot line position of the coveringflap and of the locking slide thereon.

FIG. 2'isa fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the closure flaps ofFIG. 1 showing the auxiliary stiffening hinge bead, welt or fold topredispose the movable marginal portion of the covered movable flap toturn toward andto remain in the normal position of the closure.

FIG. 3 is a similar viewof the same but showing the closure contractedtothe normal or intermediate position thereof determined by theauxiliary hinge fold.

FIG. 4 is a similar view of the same showing the closure in aconsiderably contracted position wherein the flaps are greatlyoverlapped and the turned part of the movable marginal portion isenlarged.

FIG. 5 is a similar view of a modified form of the covered flap in whichis formed a stiffened front adjusting fold or turned movable marginalportion carrying a slide operated fastener element at the edge thereof,the closure being expanded substantially to the limit permitted by theadjusting fold.

FIG. 6 i a similar view of another modified form of the covered flap inwhich the fastener tape is stitched to the front surface of the flap andthe fastener elements initially face the side of the garment, the tapebeing folded or bent and again stitched to lie against the rear surfaceto form the adjusting fold.

FIG. 7 is a similar view of the same in a partly contracted position inwhich the ,Width of adjusting fold or movable turned marginal portion isenlarged.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary elevational view of a-modified form of thewaistband at the closure and of the arrangement of the track and sliderfastener for such waist-band, to attain, a greater than normal range ofadjustment, the track-concealing means being shown spread apart at oneend preparatory to mounting the slider on the track.

FIG. 9 is a similar view of a still furthermodified form of thewaistband in which a longer tab projects from the 3 p waistband of thecovering flap and the track for the fastener is spaced further from theclosure and is of greater length than that of FIG. 8 to obtain a stillgreater range of adjustment.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view similar to FIGS. 2-4,of the closure, but wherein the fastener tape for the covered flap isecured to the rear face of the flap and the fastener elements face themiddle, the closure being shown close to the fully expanded positionthereof, and the fastener tape and marginal portion not being turned.

FIG. 11 is a similar view of the same with the closure moved to thenormal position thereof,'showing the marginal portion turned forwardly.

FIG. 12 is a similar view of another modified form of the covered fiapin which the stiffened hinge adjusting fold in the marginal portion isapplied to a slide operated fastener having its tape stitched to thefront face of the covered flap with the fastener elements facing themiddle, the closure being shown fully expanded.

FIG. 13 is a similar view of the same, the closure being shownsubstantially contracted and the adjusting fold enlarged on the furtherturning of the movable marginal portion.

FIG. 14 is an elevational view, similar to FIG. 1, of a closure in whichbuttons and button holes constitute the fastening means for thewaistband and flaps, and replace the slide operator fastener and thetrack fastener, the movable adjusting fold being preformed by turningthe marginal portion of the covered flap.

FIG. 15 is a horizontal sectional view of the closure taken through oneof the lower buttons 71 in the row of covered flap buttons and showingthe fly buttoned up and contracted.

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary elevational view of the end part of thewaistband of the covered flap, showing the spreadable means for normallyconcealing the fastening track thereon, the concealing means beingpartly broken away to expose the track.

FIG. 17 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken on the line 1717 ofFIG. 16.

FIG. 18 i a perspective view of one of the track-concealing membersbefore it is stitched to its companion member or to the waistband,showing the blank for the member as well as the cuts and fold-linestherein in dash-dot lines.

That part of the garment on one side of the closure and which isnormally largely concealed and overlapped by a visible part, includingthe waistband, if any, has hereinbefore been and hereinafter will betermed the covered flap, while the visible part constituting the otherside of the closure will be termed the covering flap. In all forms ofthe invention, it is the covered flap with or without the fastener tapethereon, which has the adjusting turn or fold therein, or which arestiffened or predisposed to fold. It is the covered fiapwhich embodiesthe main features of the invention and permits expansion and contractionof the closure band. The covering flap is of any of the usual types.While in what follows, the inventionis described as applied in mostcases to slide operated fasteners as the fastening means for the closureflaps, any conventional type of fastening means suchas buttons andbutton holes, snap fasteners, hooks and eyes or the like may be usedinstead at the places where slide operated fasteners have been describedand shown, provided such other fasteners are arranged in the properpositions for accessibility and to produce the desired adjusting turnsor folds which constitute the means for varying the size of thewaistband. It will be understood that in the various figures, thethicknesses of the fabric and the spacing therebetween have beenexaggerated for clarity of illustration.

In that form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-4, the covered flap 29 istopped by the usual waistband 21 carrying the track 22 of an adjustablefastener of the Statharn type such as is disclosed in Patent No.1,887,825, the

waistband also carrying track-concealing members 23 and 24 later to bedescribed in detail, and being stitched to the remainder of the coveredflap as by the stitching 90 shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. The covered flapalso carries the fastener member 25 comprising the tape 25 terminatingin an edge 26a (FIG. 1), and the interlocking elements 27 overhangingthe substantially 180 fold or U-bend 28. Said bend is best seen in FIGS.1 and 2 showing the expanded position of the closure and is formed byfolding, bending or turning the movable marginal portion of the flapforwardly about the innerline of stitching 32 which secures the tape tothe flap and serves as the hinge line for the fold. The movable portion30 constitutes an integral extension of the relatively fixed portion ofthe covered flap adjacent thereto.

As in all forms of the invention, the hinge line is so constructed inthe covered flap as to either preform a forwardly turned marginalportion as 30 of more than one thickness of flap material, or topredispose the marginal portion to form such fold, or by means such asstiffening said portion, to induce such fold on contraction of thewaistband.

In the form shown in FIGS. 1-4 now being described, structure of asimple and inexpensive character is employed in the covered flap,omitting infolded edges, fastener-covering flaps, and lining or otherrefinements used in expensive tailoring, though it will be obvious thatsuch refinements may be used if so desired. As shown, the fastener tape26 is arranged on the rear face of the covered flap with the elements 27initially facing the side of the garment and the usual slider thereof(not shown) facing the rear, the edge 26a of the tape beingsubstantially coincident with the peripheral edge of the marginalportion 3% The first and second upright lines of stitching 31 and 32 aremade through the tape and covered flap, the stitching 32 being made asclose to the elements 27 as is practical. The marginal portion 30 of thecovered flap together with the fastener thereon, as a unit, are thenturned about the hinge line of stitching 32 as above indicated, to theposition shown in FIG, 2-in which the fastener elements outwardlyoverhang the edge 28, the fastener slider faces the front and is easilyaccessible and the fold at the edge 28 constitutes a preformed adjustingfold or bend. Such bend is adapted to move when the fastener is closedand the movable marginal portion 30 is adapted to increase in width whenthe covering flap is moved toward the left as viewed in FIGS. 1-4,toward or into the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The portion 30decreases in width to the limit permitted by the stitching32 and thetravelling bend at 28 moves relatively to the fixed portion toward theright across the movable portion when the covering flap is moved towardthe right, the bend moving into the extreme position shown in FIG, 2.

To make certain that the fastener and the slider thereon retain theirforwardly facing positions throughout the range of adjustment of theflaps, the edge 28 may be heav1ly creased as by pressing the flap fabricat the fold thereby stiffening the edge and preventing the fastener fromturning in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 24 into an undesiredreversed position facing the rear. It will be understood that duringadjustment of the closure from the position of FIG. 2 to those of FIGS.3 and 4, the fastener 25 of the covered fiap remains interlocked withthe mating fastener 33 of the covering flap 34 and that the forwardlyfolded marginal portion 30, including its fastener, moves bodilytogether with the covering flap and the fastener thereon as a unitwithout relative rotational or transverse movement, the stitching 35 forthe fastener 33 being made as close as possible to the interlockingelements of the fastener. The width of the movable marginal portion isincreased during contractual adjustment, since the bend at 28 is forcedto move toward the same side of the garment as the covering moves andinto the body portion of the garment. The total contraction of thewaistband from the position of FIG. 2 to that of FIG. 4 is twice theincrease in width of the portion 3t), the amount of contraction beingunrestricted by the stitching 31, 32 or 35. Y s

The intermediate or normal position of the 1 closure is shown in FIG. 3,wherein the width of the portion 39 is increased from the stitching 31to the final folded edge 36. To predispose the closure to move into saidnormal position from any other adjusted position, the auxiliary.

folded hinging edge, bead or welt 36 of two thicknesses of the garmentmaterial is formed by the upright line of stitching 37 in the desiredtransverse parallel spaced relation to the fastener 25. The hinge beadat 36 stiifens the fold at the edge of the flap'and somewhat resistsmovement out of the normal position, acting in a manner similar to thatof the heavy crease at the fold-28.

Means are provided for securing the end 38 of the waistband 39 at thetop of the covering flap to the waistband of the covered flap in anyadjusted position. As has been indicated, a track and slider fastener ofthe Statham type is preferred forthis purpose and is shown in FIG. 1.Since at least part ofthe track 22 on the covered flap would be exposedin all adjusted positions except the maximum contracted position,concealing members 23, 24 are provided for normally hiding the track sothat the waistband presents a substantially conventional appearance inall adjusted positions and the track is protected against damage andclogging by foreign matter. The peripheral edge 40 of the covering flapis only slightly and unnoticeably inclined (see the dash-dot lines ofFIG. 1) in the fully expanded and contracted positions, owing to themovement of the locked fastener substantially parallel to itself in aplane, so that the edge 40 has only a slight angular movement withinsaid plane about a relatively distant point at the bottom of the fly.

In the modification shown in FIG. 5, the fastener tape 26 is againstitched by the line of stitching 31 as in FIGS. 14 to the rear face ofthe covered flap in reversed position and facing the side of thegarment. Thereafter, instead of merely turning the marginal portion ofthe covered flap forwardly, it is so turned not only forwardly to formthe fold or bend 28, but also rearwardly to form the additional bendsddand 44 providing three thicknesses of garment material and twothicknesses of fastener tape. The preformed fold may stop at such fivethicknesses and the stitching 45 then made to secure them together in astiffened folded marginal bandwith the fastener elements outwardlyoverhanging the folded edge 44 and the line of stitching as close aspracticable to the fastener elements. As shown, however, to attainmaximum stiffness, two more folds or pleats 46 and 47 are made in thegarment material to form two additional thicknesses, making seven inall, the stitching 4-5 passing through six thicknesses. Pressing thefolds aids in producingstiifness and in resisting possible reversal ofthe fastener during adjustment and also reduces the need for theauxiliary hinge f-old as 36 ofFIGS. 14. 7 i As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7,the fastener tape 26 is sewn by the stitching 48 on to the front face ofthe covered flap While facing the side of the garment and in reverseposition, meaning that the slider of the fastener faces the rear.Thereafter, the fastener tape is folded forwardly at 49 and the marginalportion of the covered flap is folded rearwardly at 50 to permit theline of stitching 51 to be made through one thickness of garmentmaterial and one thickness of tape material, thereby to form a hingeline at the stitching 51 about which the covered flap is foldedrearwardly to form the fold 52. For contraction, the width of themovable marginal portion beyond the stitching'Sl is increased as shownin FIG. 7. I

Where the track 22 and'slider53 ('FIGS. 1, 8 and 9) are used as thefastening means for the waistband, the range of adjustment depends onthe positions of the parts of such means on the bands for the respectiveflaps. Re-

various circumstances. It will be undeistood that the track 22 isrelatively stiff and inflexible and cannot be bent "conveniently or asreadily or as much as the waist band fabric, and thereby limits therange of adjustment to.

twice thedistance between the relatively stiff inner end of the track,as shown by the dash-dot fold lines. 54 of FIGS. 8 and 9, and'the hingeline for the fold of said flap, whichline is 'usually determined by aline of stitching passing through the fastener tape and the garment'material. If said distance is increased, the range of adjustment iscorrespondingly increased and a longer track is employed. However, assaid distance is increased, the width of the covering flap wouldordinarily also have to be increased excessively if the position of theslide 53 at the end of the waistbandwe're retained as in FIG. 1.

. to carry the slider 53. 'In FIG. 8, the tab 55 is relatively shortbecause the fold line 54 is relatively near the fastener elements 27. InFIG. 9, the tab 56 is relatively long 1 as is the track 22, because thedistance between the fold 'ferring to FIGS. 8 and 9, two positions ofsaid means are there shown, varying the adjusting range as requiredunder line 54 at the inner end of the track and the elements 27 is alsorelatively large.

In FIGS. 10 and 11, the fastener tape 26 is sewn, as by the stitching60, 61 on to the rear face of the covered flap with the elements thereonoverhanging the free marginal edge of the flap, facing the middle andfacing the front so that the fastener need not be reversed. Because ofthe limitation to only one thickness of garment material and onethickness of tape material at the hinge line 61, the bead 36 similar tothat ofFIGS. 14, is utilized to predispose the flap to fold toward andat the normal point of adjustment. In the normal position of theclosure, the fastenertape is foldedforwardly at 61, while the bead 36stiifens the marginal portion and predisposes said portion to foldforwardly thereby maintaining the fastener in,the proper forwardlyfacing position. Movement of the adjustable fold into and out of themain body portion of the garment, accompanies movement of the coveringflap in the same direction to contract or expand the closure ashereinbefore described.

In the form shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the fastener tape 26 is sewn bythe stitching 63 on to the front face of the covered flap, also facingthe middle and the front.

Thereafter, the fastener tape and the adjacent marginal 7 portion of theflap are bent forwardly, first to the right and then to the left to formthe folds 64, 65 and the fold determining stitching 66 made through theresulting two thicknesses of garment material and two thicknesses oftape material to form the stiffened marginal portion on the flap. Theadditional adjustment folds 67, 68 (FIG. 13) are automatically formed oncontracting movement of the covering flap. I

It will now be seen that only two lines of stitching through thefastener tape and the covered flap material are required to determinethe forwardly bent marginal portion, that the movable marginal portionof the covered flap is doubled on itself to perform the contraction themovable front portion and the fixed or rear portion of the covered flap,the amount of overlap of the two thicknesses of flap material which formthe adjusting fold, t-hatrthe range of adjustment is twice the greatestadjusted width of the movable portion of the covered flap, and thatwhere a relatively stiff track and slider fastener is used at thewaistband, the range of adjustment is increased by the use of a tab onthe waistband and the proper spacing of the trackfrom the edge of itsflap. It will also beseen that by means of folds, bends or turns and theproper location of the stitching, the fas tener elements always face thefront and the slider thereon is readily accessible, that a marginal bandof the covered' flap is stiffened to any desired extent thereby to 7 aidin determining one edge of the. adjustment fold, and that the fastenermay be attached either to tht front or rear face of the covered flap toface either the side of the garment or the middle.

Flap fastening means other than slide operated fasteners, and waistbandfastening means other than a track and slider, maybe used to carry outthe invention. Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15, a fly closure is thereshown employing buttons and button holes atv the flaps and waistband. Onthe covered flap 70, the line of buttons 71 is stitched on to the rearface of the flap so as initially to face the rear. The marginal portion72 of the flap is then bent forwardly to bring the buttons to the frontand to initiate the travelling adjusting fold 73 bestseen in FIG. 15.The button holes 74 of the covering flap are of the usual type andreceive the buttons 71 thereby maintaining the movable marginal portionfacing forwardly when the flap is closed, ready for expansion to theextent permitted bythe stitching 77 holding down the buttons, and for asubstantial amount of contraction. On

such expansion or contraction, the adjusting fold 73- moves in the samedirection as the covering flap moves, as will now be readily understood.'On contraction to the dash-dot line position of FIG. 14, the marginalportion of the covered flap increases in width, the buttons 71 moving tothe dash-dot line positions shown. The fastening means for the waistbandis indicated as a button hole 75 in the covering flap cooperating with arow of transversely spaced apart buttons 76 on the waistband of thecovered flap and is removably securable to any one of the buttons 76.Obviously, other known'adjustable fastening means may be utilized forthe waistband and need no further description nor illustration.

In those cases where the fastening means comprises the track and slidershown, means are provided, as has been already indicated, for normallyconcealing the track without adversely affecting its accessibility. Asshown particularly in FIGS. 1 and 16-18, the adjacent inner edgeportions 80, 81 of the concealing members 23 and 24 are located alongthe middle part of the waistband 21 and are there free of each other andof the waistband except at the ends thereof, and are adapted to bespread apart to expose the track 22 for the mounting of the slider 53 onthe track. By reason of the construction and assembly of the members,they are easily manipulated by spreading or folding as shown in FIG. 8,but move back to the normal track-concealing positions thereof whenreleased. Each of the, members being like the other, only one need bedescribed in detail. Each member as 23 is made of a rectangular blank82' of fabric shown by the dash-dot lines of FIG. 18. A cut 83 extendinghalf way across from one side edge to the longitudinal center line ofthe blank, is made a short distance from and parallel to each end edge.The material between the cuts 33 is folded on to the other half of theblank to form the edge fold 80 or 81, while the end tabs 85 beyond thecuts remain unfolded and in the original positions thereof. The endportions 86 of the blank together with the tabs 85 are then foldedinwardly as shown by the arrows of FIG. 18 to provide finished endedges.

The other member 24 is cut and folded the same way and arranged with theedge fold thereof adjacent the edge fold 80 of the other member 23, butwith the tabs of each member lying across the end portion 86 of theother member. The members are then stitched together longitudinally onlybeyond the folds 8t), 81 and in line with said folds and acrossv thetabs, the stitching passing through the end portions also, therebyassembling the members. The outer edge portions.87 of the members arethen turned inwardly and stitched to the waistband as at 88, FIGS. 16and 17 and the end portions are also turned in and stitched down as at89 to complete the assembly. The usual stitching 90 secures thewaistband 21 to the remainder of the covered'flap 20..

It will now be seen that an effective adjustable closure has beenprovided adapted for use in the fiy of trousers, shorts and the like,skirts and the like and other garments and parts thereof, that theclosure is adapted for a wide range of expansion and contraction anddoes not detract from the good apearance and proper fit of the garmentto which it is applied, that it operates by folding the marginal portionof the covered flap of the closure on itself to form a folded peripheralpart of two thicknesses of flap material and that the various objects ofthe invention have been adequately attained.

While certain specific forms of the invention have herein been shown anddescribed, various obvious changes may be made therein without departingfrom the spirit of the invention defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an adjustable garment closure, a covered flap having a relativelyfixed portion and a relatively movable marginal portion, a covering flapadapted variably to overlap the relatively fixed portion of the coveredflap and to move as a unit with the movable portion, a travelling U-bendjoining said portions, the movable portion being adapted to enlarge andcontract in width on transverse movement of the covering fiap and themovable portion bodily relatively to the fixed portion of the coveredflap, a tape carrying slide operated fastener elements for the movableportion, stitching closely adjacent the elements and securing the tapeto the side edge part of the movable portion, cooperating slide fastenerelements on the covering flap, and a stitched stiffening bead in thecovered flap substantially parallel to said stitching and arranged atsaid bend in the normal position of the flaps, whereby the movableportion is predisposed to move into and remain in the normal position.

2. In a garment closure,

a pair of separable garment-forming flaps adapted to be. overlapped, oneof the flaps being a rear covered flap having a relatively fixedcoverable portion and a relatively movable marginal portion, both ofsaid portions being variable in width by the transfer of part of oneportion into and out of the other, the other flap being a front coveringflap, the movable portion of the covered flap being normally arranged infront of the fixed portion and behind the covering flap in the normalpositions of the flaps,

a travelling U-bend at the junction of said portions,

a row of fastening means on each of the flaps cooperating with the rowon the other flap for separably securing the movable portion of thecovered flap to the covering flap, each row comprising a line of slideoperated elements carried by a tape, stitching close to the line ofelements on the covered flap securing the tape therefor substantially atthe edge of the covered flap,

cooperating means on the upper end portions of the respectiveflaps forsecuring the upper end edge of the covering flap to any one of aselected series of points on the upper edge of the covered flap at saidrelatively fixed portion and thereby determining the width of themoveable portion, and

a bead of a number of thicknesses of covered flap material arrangedadjacent and substantially parallel to said bend'in the normal securedpositions of the flaps.

3. In a garment closure having an upper peripheral portion,

a covered flap of the entire height of the closure,

a covering flap of the same height,

said flaps being separable along the marginal edges of the flaps and atthe upper ends of the flaps, said endv being at the extreme uppermostedge of said peripheral portion of the closure,

a first row of fastening elements on, adjacent and substantiallyparallel to the marginal edge of the covered flap,

the covering flap having a second cooperating row of fastening elementsseparable from the first row, the

interengaged and the covering flap ismoved manually with both of saidrows and themovable portion as a united Whole unit in non-rotarytranslation only into adjusting positions to further cover and touncover that part of the coveredflap constituting'the fixed portionthereof,

a 180 forwardly turned travelling bend at the junction of the fixed andmovable portions of the covered fiap and independent of the securingmeans and arranged'at all times beyond and out of engagement with thesecuring means and on that side of the securing means remote from thefirst row of fastening elements, whereby the bend is movable into thefixed portion to an extent unlimited by the securing means to adjust theeffective circumferential length of the upper peripheral portion of theclosure when the fastening elements are interengaged.

4. In a garment closure,

a covered flap of the entire height of the closure and constituting oneflap of a trouser fly,

a covering flap of the same height constituting the other fiap of thefly,

a waistband at the upper peripheral portion of the fly,

said flaps being separable along the marginal edges of the flaps and atthe waistband,

a row of fastening elements on, adjacent and substantially parallel tothe marginal edge of the covered p: Q v

the covering flap having a cooperating row of fastening elements, themarginal portion of the covered flap being movable relatively to theremaining relatively fixed adjacent portion of the covered flap when thefastening elements are interengaged, and

means at the junction of the movable and fixed portions of the coveredflap for'facilitating the transfer of part of 'one of said portions intoand out of the other to vary the width of said portions, said meanscomprising a 180 forwardly turned bend in between the rear face of thecovering flap and the front face of the fixed portion, said bend movingwhen the fastening elements of the rows are interengaged to change thewidths of said fixed and movable portions on the manual planar adjustingmove- ,ment bodily and as' a collective fixed together unit, of thecovering flap, the fastening elements and the movable portion in adirection substan tially parallel to the plane of the fixed portion,thereby to overlap the movable portion including the upper end thereofat the waistband, and to adjust the effective circumferential length ofthe waistband when the fastening elements are interengaged, and t astitched stiffening bead in and forming part of and being substantiallyparallel to the edge of the covered fla V j s aid bead being movable outof the normal positions of the flaps in the direction of movement of thecovering fiap to become part of the movable portion, and remaining fixedon movement of the covering flap in the opposite direction to becomepart of the fixed portion.

5. In a garment closure, a rear covered garment-forming flap extendingthrough- 10.. outithe entire length of the closure, a frontgarmentforming covering flap, first fastening means on and other thanthe covered flap, second fastening means on and other than the coveringflap separably engageable with'the first fastening means, both of saidfastening means terminating below the upper parts of said flaps forseparably securing the marginal portions of said flaps together, each ofthe flaps having a corner at the upper part of the marginal portionthereof, 'said corners being free of said fastening means, the outerpart of the margin portion of the covered flap throughout the entirelength of the closure including said corners, being movable, into andout of, and beingnormally arranged in front of and substantiallyparallel to the relatively fixed covered remainder of said covered flapand behind the covering flap, the movable portion being joined to thefixed portion by a U-bend in substantially all adjusted positions ofsaid flaps and being variable in width to an extent unlimited by thefastening means to eifect adjustment of the closure on transverse lanarmovement in either direction of the covering flap when said fasteningmeans is operative,

and third fastening means for detachably securing the corner of thecovering flap above the first and second fastening means to variouspoints of the covered flap, the U-bend being independentv and free ofthe first and second fastening means and being arranged beyond all partsof the first fastening means in the direction of the distal part of thethird fastening means, the U-bend being thereby limited in the movementthereof into the fixed portion by the third fastening means only.

6. An adjustable fly closure for the front body portion and the waistportion of a pair of trousers having such portions, said closurecomprising a covered fly flap extending into said waist portion andconstituting an integral continuation variable in width of the bodyportion on one side of the fly closure,

a covering flap adapted to overlap the covered flap extending into thewaist portion and constituting an integral continuation of the bodyportion on the other side of the fly closure,

a U-bend at the junction of and integral with the covered flap and thebody portion, the bend extending into the waist portion and arrangingthe marginal part of the covered flap in front of the adjacent part ofthe body portion and the adjacent waist portion whereby the frontsurface of said marginal part is a continuation of the rear surface ofthe adjacent body portion, and means for transmitting movement to thebend to move the bend at said junction into the body portion' from thecovered flap and into the covered flap from the body portion thereby tovary the amount of overlap of the flaps when the peripheral edge of thecoven'ng flap is moved manually respectively toward and away from thebend,

said means further including first fastening means on the covered flapindependent and free of the bend and of the waist portion throughout theentire length and width thereof, the fastening means including a row 7.An adjustable fly closure for the front body portion and the waistportion of a pair of trousers having such portions, said closurecomprising, j

a covered fly flap extending into said waist portion and 1 lconstituting an integral continuation variable in width of the bodyportion on one side of the fly closure,

a covering flap adapted to overlap the covered flap extending into thewaist portion and constituting an integral continuation of the bodyportion on the other side of the fly closure,

a U-bend at the junction of and integral with the covered flap andithebody portion, the bend extending into the waist portion and arrangingthemarginal part of the covered flap in front of theadjacent part of thebody portion and the adjacent waist portion whereby the front surface ofsaid marginal part is a continuation of therear surface of the adjacentbody portion,

and means for transmitting movement to the bend to move the bend at saidjunction into the body portion from the covered flap and into thecovered flap from the body portion thereby to vary the amount of overlapof the flaps when the. peripheral edge of the covering flap is movedmanually respectively toward and away from the bend,

said means including cooperating fastening elements arranged in rowsrespectively on and adjacent the peripheral edges of the covered andcovering ilaps,

the fastening elements on the covered flap comprising a row of buttonsat the marginal portion of the covered flap between the peripheral edgeof said marginal portion and the bend,

and stitching securing each button in front of said portion permanentlyto face the rear surface of the covering flap,

and the fastening elements on the covering flap comprising button holesarranged to receive the respective buttons.

8. The fly closure of claim 6,

the row of fasteningelements being slide-operated elements, and

a tape for the row of elements,

the second fastening means comprising a second row of slide-operatedelements and a tape carrying the second row,

the stitching for the. tape of the, covered flap being arranged betweenthe bend and the first mentioned row.

9. The fly closure of claim 6,

and means biasing said junction to form and to maintain the shape ofsaid U-bend, the biasing means comprising a stitched fold near andparallel to the row of fastening elements of the covered flap.

10. In an adjustable garment closure,

a covered flap having a relatively fixed portion constituting acontinuation ofthe main portion of the garment, the flap having arelatively movable portion constituting a further continuation of themain portion ofthe garment extending from the fixed portion,

a covering fiap adapted variably to overlap the relatively fixed portionof the covered flap and to move as a unit with the relatively movableportion,

a travelling 180 bend at the junction of and connected to said portions,

the-movable portion when moved, moving said bend thereby to enlarge andcontract the movable portion in width on transverse planar movement as aunit of the covering flap together with the movable portion bodilyrelatively to the fixed portion,

a tape carrying slide-operated fastener elements on the I movableportion,

stitching closely adjacent the elements and securing the tape to theside edge part of the movable portion,

cooperating slide fastener elements on the covering flap, and a stitchedstiffening head on the covered flap substantially parallel to saidstitching and arranged at said bend in the normal positions of theflaps,

whereby the movable portion is predisposed to move into and remaininth'e normal position thereof.

11'. In a garment,

a body portion open at the top antd split at a closure thereof extendingdownwardly from the-top,

said body portion terminating at the closure in a pair of separablemarginal portions adapted to overlap,

a 180 forwardly directed bend in the garment beginning at the top of thebody portion and extending downwardly along the rear one of saidmarginal portions to form a covered flap adjacent to and on at leastthefront side of the bend,

and means for transmitting. to said bend movement transversely into andout of the body portion to vary the amount of overlap of said marginalportions comprising a first longitudinally arranged row of fasteningelements on the covered flap,

stitching securing the elements to the covered flap, the stitchingentering the covered flap at points sufficiently close to the elementsto restrict substantial movement of the elements relatively to saidpoints and to permit unlimited movement of the marginal part of thecovered flap, the fastening elements and the bend in a direction awayfrom the split of the closure, and

a second longitudinally arranged row of fastening elements on the othermarginal body portions removably engaging the respective elements of thefirst row whereby transverse movement of the last mentioned marginalportion when the rows are interengaged imparts planar transversemovement to said rows and moves the bend along the body portion, saidbend being movable a distance substantially greater than the maximumdistance between the stitching on the covered flap and the elements onsaid flap.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,616,190 2/27Kosofsky 2--228 2,563,190 8/51 Rosenberg 2234 2,585,175 2/52 Rosenberg2234 3,120,004 2/64 McGehee 2234 FOREIGN PATENTS 301,613 12/28 GreatBritain. 248,785 2/48 Switzerland.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

THOMAS J. HICKEY, Examiner.

1. IN AN ADJUSTABLE GARMENT CLOSURE, A COVERED FLAP HAVING A RELATIVELYFIXED PORTION AND A RELATIVELY MOVABLE MARGINAL PORTION, A COVERING FLAPADAPTED VARIABLY TO OVERLAP THE RELATIVELY FIXED PORTION OF THE COVEREDFLAP AND TO MOVE AS A UNIT WITH THE MOVABLE PORTION, A TRAVELLING 180*U-BEND JOINING SAID PORTIONS, THE MOVABLE PORTION BEING ADAPTED TOENLARGE AND CONTRACT IN WIDTH ON TRANSVERSE MOVEMENT OF THE COVERINGFLAP AND THE MOVABLE PORTION BODILY RELATIVELY TO THE FIXED PORTION OFTHE COVERED FLAP, A TAPER CARRYING SLIDE OPERATED FASTENER ELEMENTS FORTHE MOVABLE PORTION, STITCHING CLOSELY ADJACENT THE ELEMENTS ANDSECURING THE TAPE TO THE SIDE EDGE PART OF THE MOVABLE PORTION,COOPERATING SLIDE FASTENER ELEMENTS ON THE COVERING FLAP, AND A STITCHEDSTIFFENING HEAD IN THE COVERED FLAP SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAIDSTITCHING AND ARRANGED AT SAID BEND IN THE NORMAL POSITION OF THE FLAPS,WHEREBY THE MOVABLE PORTION IS PREDISPOSED TO MOVE INTO AND REMAIN INTHE NORMAL POSITION.